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3 Thoughts on Michigan Football and the Michigan State Spartans

By Chris Peterson

Oct 24, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during pre game warmups before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during pre game warmups before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

Michigan football enters its annual rivalry game with Michigan State as the heavy favorite and here are three thoughts on the battle for the Paul Bunyan.

As Saturday and the battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy approaches, the attitudes of Michigan football fans and Michigan State fans probably could not be more different.

The Wolverines, of course, are fresh off the 49-24 whooping they put on P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, while Michigan State opened its season with a loss at home to Rutgers, the same program that hadn’t won a Big Ten game in years.

To be fair, Rutgers with Greg Schiano isn’t the same-old Rutgers. We have seen that on the recruiting trail and we saw that last Saturday.

Remember, the Scarlet Knights were active in the transfer portal and it paid dividends. Their quarterback came in from Nebraska and they even had some former Michigan football players suited up for them.

At any rate, Michigan will see that Rutgers is a bigger challenge than expected later this season, but that doesn’t change the perception heading into Saturday as the Wolverines have opened as big favorites.

This comes on the heels of a 44-10 beat down of the Spartans last season at the Big House, as well as a 21-7 victory in 2018, a game in which Michigan State wasn’t able to muster 100 yards of total offense and scored only because of a Michigan turnover inside its own 10.

That’s partly why Mark Dantonio retired with his tale between his legs and while his record against Michigan was stellar, it didn’t end well, but in rivalry games, you always have to be careful and my first thought starts there.

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